If you chose A, B, C, D, or E, then you're correct! The best breakfast is the one that you'll eat regularly (and is relatively well-balanced).

The Neglected Meal

Gone are the days when it was unthinkable to start the day without a good hearty breakfast. Now people have more excuses than they can shake a spatula at for why they cannot or do not eat a morning meal. Do any of these sound familiar?:

I do not have time

I am not hungry in the morning

I am trying to lose weight

I do not like breakfast foods

When I eat breakfast, I am more hungry mid-morning

The Case for Breakfast

We have all heard it—breakfast is the most important meal of the day. But you know what, it is
true. Here are some reasons why:

Breakfast is the time to refuel.
After fasting for the 8-12 hours after dinner and during sleep, your body needs to replenish its energy supply. The brain is especially in need of a fill-up, because it has no place to store its main energy source, glucose, which comes from the foods we eat. Without eating you won’t be able to think or concentrate. Muscles also rely on glucose for a portion of their energy.

Eating breakfast is associated with better attitudes about work and school.
People who pass on a morning meal are often tired, irritable, or restless in the morning.

Eating breakfast regularly is associated with maintaining a healthful weight.
According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, people who skip breakfast are more likely to overeat at snack time and other meals throughout the day.

Breakfast can add to the healthfulness of your diet.
Breakfast food can be an important source of the following nutrients in your diet:

Spend a little time on the weekend or a week night preparing easy-to-grab foods for the week:

Make your own muffins, breads, or granola

Hard-boil several eggs

Make pancake batter and keep it in the fridge; in the morning, ladle some on the griddle and top with fresh fruit

The night before, whirl together a breakfast shake—milk/yogurt, fruit, ice, and wheat germ—and store in the fridge

Pack foods that you can eat on the commute or at your desk:

A Ziploc bag of dry cereal or trail mix

Cereal bar or granola bar

Can of vegetable juice

I am not hungry in the morning.
Eat something small, such as toast, juice, or an egg, at breakfast time. Bring along a snack for when you are hungry mid-morning.

I am trying to lose weight. Studies have found that people who regularly eat breakfast cereal regularly tend to have lower body mass indices. Skipping breakfast sets you up to be ravenously hungry later in the day, which can lead to overeating. Of course, you still need to make healthful choices. Be aware of portion sizes. For example, many bagel-shop bagels and muffins are much higher in calories than you think. Also, stay away from some of the traditional, fatty breakfast foods, including:

Bacon

Breakfast sausage

Hash browns

Biscuits with gravy

Doughnuts and pastries

Foods with lots of cheese

I do not like breakfast foods.
Anything can be a breakfast food:

Last night's leftovers and a piece of fruit

Grilled cheese and tomato sandwich

English muffin with peanut butter and banana

Bagel topped with avocado spread and sliced fresh tomato

Cheese, crackers, and fruit

Tomato soup and crackers

Pizza, hot or cold, with orange juice

Pita stuffed with low-fat cheese and salsa

Cottage cheese with fresh or canned fruit and graham crackers

Smoked salmon, cream cheese, and cucumber on a bagel

Baked potato topped with cottage cheese or salsa

When I eat breakfast, I'm more hungry mid-morning.
Hunger pangs are a healthy, normal signal from your body. Bring along a healthy snack for these times. Or try eating a little more protein or fat with breakfast to keep you feeling full longer.

Back to Breakfast

Eating a healthful breakfast helps prepare your mind and body for the day ahead. If you regularly skip breakfast, use these suggestions to get yourself back on track.

This content is reviewed regularly and is updated when new and relevant evidence is made available. This information is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with questions regarding a medical condition.

The case for eating breakfast. American Academy of Pediatrics Healthy Children website. Available at: http://www.healthychildren.org/English/healthy-living/nutrition/pages/The-Case-for-Eating-Breakfast.aspx. Updated October 9, 2014. Accessed October 13, 2014.

The importance of breakfast. University of Florida website. Available at: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fm174. Accessed October 13, 2014.

The importance of eating a good breakfast. Kaiser Permanente website. Available at: http://mydoctor.kaiserpermanente.org/ncal/Images/Importance%20of%20Eating%20a%20Good%20Breakfast%20(6909-E)%5Ftcm75-14514.pdf. Accessed October 13, 2014.